Smiles
by Fluffy Bunnies Are So Cute
Summary: Ever since Ari, Max's little brother, died, a smile's never escaped her lips. Her parents, desperate to get a grin in their daughter, pay people to get her to smile. When Fang and his father become their new housemates, he decides it's his project to make her smile. But will he be the first ever to succeed? FAX. AU. AH.
1. House Ordeals

**Summary:** Ever since Ari, Max's little brother, died, a smile's never escaped her lips. Her parents, desperate to get a grin in their daughter, pay people to get her to smile. When Fang and his father become their new housemates, he decides it's his project to make her smile. But will he be the first ever to succeed? FAX.

**Authors Note: **Although I will be doing _A Slap Means I Love You_ at one point, I have decided that I'll be starting _Smiles_ first! Thank you for all your reviews from _Roses,_ helping me decide! I hope you enjoy this :) PS I changed the summary slightly from what it was at the end of _Roses_ xD

* * *

**Smiles :-: **Chapter One **:-:** _House Ordeals_

* * *

:-: _Summer _:-:

"Max, dear, we're letting one of your dad's old friends, and his son, live with us since their house got destroyed by an earthquake."

"What? _No_!"

"I'm sorry, Max, but they're coming today."

"Mom, why would you do that? It's not like they would do the same for us!"

"I'm sure they would."

"They're not sleeping in Ari's room, then!"

"Max, we only have one guest room!"

"Have the little kid sleep with his dad, then!"

"Erm… His son's your age... and he goes to your school. He's going to be sleeping in Ari's old room."

"_My age_? _And in Ari's room? _That's the one connecting with my bathroom!"

"I know, but it's the only one available."

"… Who is it?"

"Who?"

"Yeah, that kid that's invading Ari's room!"

"Oh, um, what was it…"

"_Mom_, I know you know."

"Fang Walker.

"… _MOM_!"

**:-:-:-:**

She paced the length of her room, angry, frustrated, but most of all, anxious. _Sharing a house… with _Fang_? He's the smartest, most annoying senior there is! And he's going to be staying in _Ari_'s room! _

The doorbell rang in the distance. "THEY'RE HERE, THEY'RE HERE!" she heard her mom call. "MAX, COME DOWN!"

Collapsing on her bed, she buried her head in a pillow, in attempt to block out the sound. She could hear her mom and dad excitedly greet the new… house mates… and graciously welcome them in. "_MAX!_" her mom screamed again.

Grudgingly, Max got off her bed and headed down the stairs, not even glancing once at the mirror to see if she looked presentable.

A voice was speaking when she arrived at the foot of the stairs, in front of the door. She looked over the two men — one her father's age, and one her own age — indifference with a hint of disgust evident on her face. Her mother elbowed her in the side.

"Thank you for allowing us to stay here," the low, husky voice murmured. Max's chocolate brown eyes snapped up to look at him, averting her attention from the ground to his face.

A face she knew quite well. His dark black hair shadowed over his face, obstructing the view of one of his bottomless, obsidian eyes, which were looking at her parents.

Their eyes connected, and his widened a fraction in shock and recognition. She stared at him, inwardly amused and smug at his confused reaction. Sticking her hand out at his dad, — who she assumed was her own father's friend — Max said, "Hi, I'm Max."

She scoffed at Fang's reaction once more, as he opened his mouth to say something, before closing it. His father grasped her hand and smiled warmly at her. She didn't return his smile.

Her mother elbowed her once more, her smiling stretching across her cheeks, unlike Max's void-of-happiness face. "Max, why don't you show Fang to his room?" Max stared at her mom with a straight face, before sighing in consent. She trudged up the stairs, knowing Fang was following behind her.

Reaching the door she hadn't opened in three, almost four years, Max paused, hoping that behind it would be disgustingly dusty, and haunted. She rolled her eyes at her own absurdity.

_Haunted? Seriously, Max?_ "Are you going to let me in?" Fang's annoyed voice asked. Max glared at him, stepping out of the doorway, and ignoring the fact he talked to her. "I know you're not mute, Moxie."

Her fists clenched at the nickname he called her. _Moxie_. Everyone at school referred to her as that, and she had no clue why. It was some inside joke that everyone knew about. Everyone, but her, that is.

She hated that name, and couldn't help but snap back, "Stop calling me that!"

Fang held his arms up in mock surrender, a smirk on his olive face. "Ouch, Moxie knows how to bite!" he chuckled. Smiling deviously at her, he added, "She knows how to talk, for that matter."

Her hands tightened until they blanched white, and Max resisted socking him in the face. "Just go," she muttered sourly. His hand gripped the knob of the door, pushing it open.

A puff of air came out of the room, and Max glanced around it, becoming nostalgic. Bright rays of sunlight shone in through the blue curtains, lighting up the spotless, almost _sparkling_ room.

Plopping herself on the blue comforter of the bed, Max watched Fang begin to unpack with narrowed eyes. "Why are you here?" she asked, an edge of steel in her tone.

"Earthquake," was his one-worded reply.

"So you're basically homeless and free-loading off of us?" Max snapped.

Fang ignored that comment, responding with a, "Why are _you_ here?"

She scoffed for the nth time that day. "I _live_ here. And everyone calls you a genius…"

"At least I'm not stupid like you. I meant what are you doing _in my room_?" he retorted.

"It's not your room, it's Ar —" Max bit back her reply, and hopped off the bed.

"What?" Max shook her head, and walked over to the bathroom, opening the door. "Hey, why are you using my bathroom?"

She turned to look at him, her face hard and bored. "It's _our_ bathroom," she said bitterly, opening the connecting door to her room. "And you call _me_ an idiot…" Max muttered under her breath.

Slamming the bathroom door shut, Max collapsed on her bed, and screamed into her pillow, for the second time that day. _Jerk_.

**:-:-:-:**

Stretching, Fang got out of his bed with a yawn, rubbing at his neck, and pulling his shirt up over his head. He grabbed a towel that was laid out on the desk, and sauntered into the bathroom, stripping the rest of his clothes, before getting into the shower.

Warm water soaked him to the bone, as he rinsed off, taking a quick shower. Massaging his neck, Fang stepped out of the shower, grabbing the towel and drying off. He opened the towel to its full extent, to wrap it around his waist…

But that's when the door opened.

The door to Max's room.

She stared at him with wide eyes, a dropped jaw, and flushed cheeks. Quickly, he covered himself up, his own cheeks heating up. "Holy sh!t. What the fnck are you doing?!" Max screamed, immediately shutting the door closed again.

Fang sighed with relief, the humiliation flooding through him, as he locked both doors to the bathroom. He leaned back on the wall, banging his head on it several times. _Idiot. Idiot. Idiot._

Max leaned against the bathroom door, her eyes still wide. _Why the hell didn't he lock the door? Why?!_

"Idiot," she grumbled, exiting her bedroom door, to go to the downstairs bathroom and sanitize her now scarred-for-life eyes. _Not so smart, after all_.

* * *

**Notes: **

*Whips out_ Le Humiliation Camera_ and takes a picture*

So… Plot hasn't really begun much. You're just meeting Maxie and Fangy :D *Sighs* Only day one… and already humiliated :)

Anyone confused? It will all be explained!

**R&R **please? It'll mean a lot :)

Fluffy


	2. Appointments Never Mean Well

**Summary: **Ever since Ari, Max's little brother, died, a smile's never escaped her lips. Her parents, desperate to get a grin in their daughter, pay people to get her to smile. When Fang and his father become their new housemates, he decides it's his project to make her smile. But will he be the first ever to succeed? FAX.

**Authors Note: **Been a bit… not nearly as long as some of my other stories… *sheepish grin*. I really wanted to write this though… Although I keep coming up with a bunch of plans for when Max and Fang actually _do_ get together. Don't know how long that's gonna take :o Enjoy :)

PS this chapter is in First Person POV! Don't want to confuse any of y'all xD

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**Smiles :-: **Chapter Two **:-: **_Appointments Never Mean Well_

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:-: _MAX _:-:

"Darling, Dr. Knight is supposed to be a good-humored man… maybe he would be a good choice?" Mom asks. I stare at her, disbelievingly, from across the breakfast table, before continuing to shove another spoonful of cereal into my mouth.

Pretending to look thoughtful for a moment, my expression changes to a scowl. "No," I mutter, shaking my head so my bangs fall in front of my face.

A shuffling noise comes from behind me, causing my mother's face to immediately perk up, to her 'perfect hostess' smile. "Good morning, Fang! Did you sleep well?" Not only did her expression change, but the tone she used to talk to him did as well.

I turn around to glare at Fang, memories from earlier this morning flooding through my brain. Involuntarily, I shudder, and he averts his onyx eyes from mine, as I do the same. _Not even going to _go_ there._

He nods in response to Mom, saying, "It was comfortable, thank you."

She beams, nudging me with her elbow. "Max, maybe you should learn manners from Fang while he's staying in our house!" Mom suggests, her cheeks spread out into a grin.

With a scoff, I roll my eyes. "Like hell I would do that."

Fang walks by me, mumbling something under his breath — something I don't quite catch.

As soon as Mom gets up to 'do her morning routine', I whirl around to face Fang. "_What was that?_" I snap, my eyes narrowed, voice steel.

He looks at me, a bored expression on his face. "What was what?" Fang wonders, feigning innocence, his tone irking me to no end.

My hands clenched together, angrily. It was as if he knew all the little things that bother me, and decided to play them _all_ out. I fought back the urge to snap back, 'You know what I meant!' It would get me absolutely nowhere, and even though I admit, I'm not the brightest book-wise, I've got enough smarts. Instead, I ground out, "What did you just say?"

Fang stays silent, and I glare at him even more. Finally, he cracks. "I said that maybe you should learn how to smile! Dammit, Max, I didn't think you were emo at home too."

Breathing laboriously, I try to calm myself. Honestly, I really do try. _Don't explode Max… Control yourself… Don't say anything you don't want him to hear. _Of course, being me, I snap. "How dare you tell me to try and smile? Do you think you could bring a smile to your face when the person closest to you is taken away from you — from this _world_, — right in front of your eyes? Hell, your life's practically _perfect_, yet you barely manage a grin!" I burst, my nose flaring, breathing coming in heavy pants, as I stare at the ground angry at not only him, but myself as well.

When I glance back up at him, I'm surprised at what my eyes see. For a second, I almost think they're deceiving me, and what I think I'm seeing, actually isn't true. For a second, I almost think that Fang's face actually softens sympathetically.

I shake my head clear and stare at Fang again. That same look is still there, before his eyebrows furrow and his mouth opens and clenches closed. Then, it opens again, and he clears his throat, about to say something. "I —"

"So, Max! Dr. Knight?" Mom walks in, prepped up for the day.

His jaw clamps shut, abruptly, and I turn to look at Mom. She blinks in surprise, her eyes shifting from me, to Fang, back to me, and then Fang again. "Did I… interrupt something…?" she wonders questioningly.

Fang unfreezes and answers first. "No, of course not, Ms. Martinez."

She laughs breezily, replying, "Fang, I've told you to call me what?"

"Val," Fang sighs. I almost snort at how childish their little exchange sounded. He shoots a glare at me, strands of his dark hair shrouding his equally dark eyes.

Mom nods and then averts her attention back to me. "So should I call Dr. Knight and set up an appointment?"

Fang looks at me curiously. "Appointment…?" he asks, still staring at me.

I shoot a glare at my mom, mentally asking why she brought it up in front of him. "Oh, just a little thing… Maxie-dear hasn't really smiled since…" she trailed off, her once bright face becoming solemn as she recalled the memory. Mom clears her throat. "We're trying to find someone to help her with it."

Her cell phone rings, and then Mom scurries off to go find it, wherever it was laying around the house, leaving Fang and I in an awkward atmosphere.

We're both just standing, kind of gangly-looking, shoulders slumped, eyes trained on the ground. I pull my bottom lip between my teeth, almost to the point of making it bleed. _Why did she bring that up? And why did she tell _him_?_

"Moxi — _Max_…" Fang starts to say.

I try to tune him out, reciting the states in reverse alphabetical order in my head. _Wyoming… Wisconsin… West Virginia... Washington…_ A hand touches my shoulder, and I jerk back, out of their grip. "_What?_" I huff, almost sneering. "What is it that you could _possibly_ want?" I ask exasperatedly. "You already invaded my house, scarred my brain for life, and insulted me under my own roof! What else do you want?!"

He doesn't skip a beat, as he stares into my eyes, saying, "I want to make you smile."

And then my jaw drops, hitting solid ground. _He did _not _just say that._

* * *

**Notes: **

Hmm… xD Cliffhanger :DDD

Sorry this chapter is so short… I didn't plan on making it this length. I just wanted to end it here :3

BUT OHMYGOSH I HAVE SO MANY KUH-UTE IDEAS FOR MY LITTLE FAX-PEEPS… SO CUTE :333

Hope you enjoyed :)

xox

Fluffy


	3. OHMYGODHEISRUININGMYLIFE

**Summary:** Ever since Ari, Max's little brother, died, a smile's never escaped her lips. Her parents, desperate to get a grin in their daughter, pay people to get her to smile. When Fang and his father become their new housemates, he decides it's his project to make her smile. But will he be the first ever to succeed? FAX.

**Authors Note: **OKAY~ I HAVE IMPORTANT NEWS REGARDING UPDATING AND OTHER STUFF~ SO READ THE BOTTOM A/N PLEASE? THANKS AND ENJOYYYY!

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**Smiles :-: **Chapter Three **:-: **_OHMYGODHEISRUININGMYLIFE_

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_:-: FANG :-:_

I can see her making a decent attempt to calm herself, and Max clenches her eyes closed in frustration. Before I know what I'm doing, I put my hand on her shoulder, and she immediately flinches, cringing out of my grip.

"_What?_" Max sneers. "What is it that you could _possibly_ want?" she asks exasperatedly. "You already invaded my house, scarred my brain for life—" _Ouch. _ "—and insulted me under my own roof! What else do you want?!"

Staring into her eyes, I don't miss a second, before replying, "I want to make you smile."

Her mouth visibly gapes open, her jaw dropping far below its normal range. It's silent for a moment, and one of Max's wide brown eyes twitches uncontrollably. I glance at her hands, to see them clenching shut, before releasing from the fists she made, her long fingers extending.

I can't resist when I lean towards her, invading her space, so my lips are right beside her ear. She shudders and I know our close proximities either propels her fury more, or calms it some. "You might want to close your mouth, Max," I whisper into her ear, my breaths exhaling in light puffs onto her skin. _She smells good… _"I'm trying to make you smile… not look like a retarded fish."

Max's mouth clamps shut as I lean back away from her. "_YOU —_" She starts to screech profanities at me, but her mom walks back into the kitchen, and Max closes her mouth once more, shooting a glare at me. _Perfect timing, Val._

Val raises an eyebrow at Max, before turning to me with a blinding grin on her face. _Geez, why can't Max smile like that? _"I think that's a _wonderful_ idea!"

It takes both Max and I a moment to process what she just said, as we stand there blankly looking at her. _Idea… Me… Max… Smile? _I think weakly.

Admittedly, Max is the first to respond. "_What?_" she cries for the second time this day.

Her mom turns away from me to look at Max. "Yes, Max, I think it's a wonderful idea," she says in a deathly calm voice, her tone a motherly 'don't you dare mess with me' one.

Max begins to protest as I cross my arms and watch the two ladies with slight amusement. Val gives Max a glare — _Oh, so _that's_ where Max got it from _— and looks back at me, her facial expression so different, I have to blink and make sure it's the same person.

"You're such a smart boy, Fang!" she compliments. "Right, Max?"

All I get from her is a stare.

"I didn't want to make you help out around the house, even though you insisted, but I think helping Max would be good enough, don't you?" _Um, not really… I meant mowing the lawn or something… _Val gives me a stare that's almost as intimidating as Max's, and I nod, although I was determined to help out more. "Ooh, great! This is such a good idea! I knew good things would come out of you guys moving in!"

_Does that mean she doubted it at one point?_

I hear stomps coming, and I notice Max stomping up the stairs in the kitchen area, to the second level. A door slams shut, soon after she disappears from my view, and screams immediately follow.

"_OHMYGODHEISRUININGMYLIFE!_"

Val looks at me sheepishly and shrugs her shoulders, as I sigh and finish up eating breakfast.

_What have I just done?_

…

Honestly, I have no clue why I said that I wanted to make her smile. It's not something Fang Walker usually does.

Referring to me in third person isn't either, but that's not the point. The point is —

"GOD, WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS?"

— That Max and her problems weren't my business, and that I shouldn't have interfered at all.

"UGHHH!"

But it was too late now, because Val had already heard, and I couldn't say no to her, after she let Dad and I stay here. _And now you're thinking a lot more than you normally do. _

"MOOOOMMMM! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!"

I shot up off my bed and walked over to our shared bathroom, opening both my door, and the one to her room. "Will you shut your mouth, already?!"

Max turns to glare at me, from where she's curled up on a beanbag in the corner of her room. "No," she replies defiantly. "I won't 'shut my mouth'." I start to respond, but she cuts me off. "Because when people normally smile, they show their teeth, thus the fact that their mouth is _open_. And _you_ are trying to _help_ me smile, so why would you tell me to do exactly the _opposite_?" Her words are laced with spite and sarcasm, her face showing the same.

"Who said I wanted to help you smile?" I snap back, my words tumbling out of my mouth before I can stop them.

She rolls her eyes. "You have _got_ to be kidding me. Where else could my mom of gotten that crazy notion from? Certainly not me!" _Oh… right… I did say that… _

"_I want to make you smile_," Max mocks. "Those stupid six words that _you_ said gave my mom the _wonderful_ idea that you were going to help me, when you obviously aren't. So why don't you just go and tell her that, and get us both out of this mess, so you can stop bugging the hell out of me!" Her voice escalates louder and louder as she speaks, and now she's leaning back on the beanbag, her eyes closed.

My hands are in fists at my side, as I consider my choices. I could let Val down, after all she's done for me… or I could labor away at the feet of Her Majesty, in attempt to get her to do the impossible. Yeah… not so good either way.

"No." My voice is quiet, but firm.

Max's eyes fly open and she stares at me incredulously, for the… what?... time that day.

"I'll do it."

Narrowing her eyes, she purses her lips. The corners of them curl up into an evil smirk.

"Fine. Let's see how long you'll last."

"Goo—"

"But I'm warning you now, it won't be easy."

"I kno—"

"I'll be sure of it." Max gets up from the beanbag, and holds her hand out to me. I grip it, and she shakes my hand firmly, the power almost radiating off of her.

As I turn to leave her room, Max smirks at me again. "It'll be hell for the next few months."

It's my turn to smirk, as I look at her once, before saying, "Right back at'cha, _Moxie_."

* * *

**Notes:**

Ah, what dramatic teens :3 *Sigh* I haven't updated in a while — if you read my PJO story, then you'd know I've been uber-busy — and so I think I'm going to change how I normally update.

Currently, a little bit of everything is written, and I can't seem to finish any of it. So, I've decided that I'm going to update my MR stories by the popularity majority. It'll include any of them_ (Smiles, Growing to Success, Red, Scapegoat, Bloody British Git, Park Bench, and yes, even Music from the Heart, and Candy Fax — gee, I have a lot -.-)_ and just tell me however you want, what your top three are, okay?

Thank you so much :D

Hope you enjoyed the chapter :)

Xox,

Fluffy

PS: If anyone ever wants to talk, PM me, or better yet, chat with us on my forum!

_myforums/Fluffy-Bunnies-Are-So-Cute/3308665/_

**Just type in the fanfiction website before that :D ^^**


	4. Do Me A Favor and Smile

**Summary:** Ever since Ari, Max's little brother, died, a smile's never escaped her lips. Her parents, desperate to get a grin in their daughter, pay people to get her to smile. When Fang and his father become their new housemates, he decides it's his project to make her smile. But will he be the first ever to succeed? FAX.

**Authors Note: **Here y'all go :)

* * *

**Smiles :-: **Chapter Four **:-: **_Do Me a Favor and Smile_

* * *

_:-: MAX :-:_

The next morning when I wake up, I immediately go to the bathroom to shower, deciding to leave both of the connecting doors unlocked, but the shower door locked. I'd rather not run into Fang, until he's brushed his teeth.

I lean against the shower wall, sighing to myself and shaking my head as I remember last night. It wasn't every night that Fang Walker told you he was going to make you smile.

_Pfft. I hope he has fun with that._

Although it wasn't necessarily funny, that single thought made me crack up. If professional doctors and therapists et cetera can't make me smile, what makes Fang think that he, out of _all_ people, can?

Nada. Ain't gonna happen.

Maybe there's a .0000000000000000001% chance that he was some magically smiling wizard—as _if_, the kid barely smiles more than me—and _then_ he might be able to achieve the impossible.

But then there's the .99999999999999999999% chance weighing him down on the other side of the balance labeled 'Chance of Making Max Smile', shortened down to 'Chance of M&Ms'.

As I said before: not likely.

After I rinse off in the shower, I wrap myself up in a towel, making sure it's secure around me. I wasn't in favor of a repeat of last morning… and definitely not with the rolls switched.

Exiting the separate shower/toilet room of the bathroom, I peek my head out to make sure Fang's not in the bathroom, and that both doors are shut. Satisfied, I walk out into the open air of the sink-area of the bathroom.

And that's when my eyes zoom in on a bright, neon blue sticky note, stuck onto the mirror.

Clutching the towel's edge to my chest, I slowly walk towards it to read what it says, careful not to slip on the waxy tile. Scrawled on it in messy, boyish handwriting are six—well, if you counted the name, seven—words:

_Do me a favor and smile_.

Shortly followed by:

_Fang._

Like hell I would do him a favor. I repeat: _Who does he think he is? Superman_?

I leave the sticky note attached to the mirror and stomp to my room to change. Then, I grab a pen and go back to the bathroom, snatching the small square paper, writing furiously on the back.

_No. Yours Truly, Max._

:-:-:-:

"Tell me why you—why _everyone—_calls me Moxie," I demand, holding Fang's phone away from him. I was in Ar—the room Fang was staying in, trying to focus my attention on keeping the phone away from Fang, rather than the walls that once used to be my brother's.

He shakes his head, his messy black hair—which believe it or not, I've heard people call it _sex hair_—falling in front of one eye. "Just give me my phone, goddammit," Fang mutters, making a grab for it, and missing, since I stepped back.

I purse my lips, shaking my head. "Nuh. Tell me. Now." I figured, if Fang staying with us was inevitable; why not take something _'good'_ from it?

"Why does it even matter?" Fang asks, taking a step towards me and reaching for his phone in my hand.

"Well if you want your phone back, I'm pretty sure it matters," I reply, narrowing my eyes at him.

Fang's quiet for a moment, and I'm sure he's going to tell me why everyone at school calls me Moxie.

But I'm wrong; he quickly takes a step forward and puts his arms up, trapping me between his body and the wall. _Shiiit._ He leans his head down towards mine, and my breathing quickens to an unbelievable rate.

_Breathe, Max, breathe._

It's not because of Fang's proximity to me—which is _preposterously close_—but rather, _my_ contiguity to the _wall_.

This wall… It wasn't just any wall… It was the wall that… that Ar—we had painted together with hand prints and silly drawings. It was our wall, and despite the blue paint that layers over it, it would still have our paintings beneath the paint.

"_Give me my phone, Max_," Fang whispers in my ear, his voice low, husky, and dangerous. Slowly, he slips the phone out of my grip, and I don't do anything about it—I'm frozen in place.

Memories flash in my head, and it's almost as if I'm watching it in front of me.

:-:-:-:

_"Ahhh! Stop it Max!" he squealed as I tickled him with my yellow paint-coated fingers._

_I grinned down at him. "Say it!"_

_He shook his head no. "Never!"_

_Tickling him even more in the ribcage, I said, "Come on! Say it!"_

_"Noo—Uncle, uncle! Max is the best and most awesome sister in the entire universe!" he relented, tackling me, and getting blue paint all over my shirt. I hugged him to me. "I love you, Maxie," he whispered, grinning at me._

_"I love you too, little bro," I smiled._

_He looked up at mischievously, before rubbing his hands all over my face, efficiently coating me with blue. _

_I laughed, before I playfully glared at him. "ARI MARTINEZ!"_

:-:-:-:

_Ari… Ari… _"Ari," I whisper, my eyes widening as they focus on Fang.

He looks at me in confusion, bringing his hand up to cup my cheek. And… I don't move away. _Ari. It's all my fault. _"Max," Fang says softly. "Max…"

My eyes clench shut, willing all the pain and guilt I had stored inside me away. _Please. _I hang my head downwards, and it lands on Fang's chest. His arms wrap around me and for some reason… it's comforting. He's not trying to mock me, or make fun of me.

I try to control my shaking, and push the tears away from my eyes. For so long, I had forced myself not to think about it—not to remember. Him. Me. What I had done. It made me so vulnerable… and I promised him never to let go of myself.

"Max…" Fang says again, stroking my hair. "I'm sorry."

Those two words knock me back into reality and away from his arms. I stare at him with widened eyes, shaking my head. _He isn't Ari. He can't bring him back._

Fang looks back at me, his face blank, eyes showing concern.

I shake my head, and with one last meaningful—and almost threatening—glance, I leave his room.

_:-: FANG :-:_

I had her trapped against the wall to get my phone back. And she just… she had just let me. It was as if she had turned into a marble statue—frozen, immobile, and unmoving.

And it… it wasn't because of me.

There was something else about Max—something in her past, and probably the thing that, figuratively, prevented her from smiling. Normally, she always had her guard up… but in those few minutes, her eyes had cleared.

She was in pain and overridden with guilt.

I couldn't help it when I had held her cheek—she had just looked so… Un-Max. So _vulnerable_. And then she leaned on me, and I felt as if she was opening up to me for once. It was… different.

But then it all changed back to normal, and she retreated back to her room after one expressive stare at me.

I lean back on my bed, my arms crossed beneath my neck, breathing slowly, and trying to think.

There was something else behind Max. Some secret or event in her past that was eating her up alive.

And I am determined to figure it out. Determined to figure _Max_ out.

* * *

**Notes:**

Been a bit—pfft, over a month—but…

Yeah -.-

Well I hope you liked this chapter :) I liked it…. But maybe that's just me… an author's thing or something. Then again, I don't always like what I write. Not very often… but it happens :3

Have a Merry Christmas—or Happy Holidays—and an amazing New Year!

I probably won't update until after then, since I'm going on vacay :D

**R&R**

Fluffy :)


	5. Easier Than Explaining

**Summary:** Ever since Ari, Max's little brother, died, a smile's never escaped her lips. Her parents, desperate to get a grin in their daughter, pay people to get her to smile. When Fang and his father become their new housemates, he decides it's his project to make her smile. But will he be the first ever to succeed? FAX.

**Authors Note: **Now that YouTube, MeTube, and PercyTube is updated… here you are :3

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**Smiles :-: **Chapter Five **:-: **_Smile; It's Easier Than Explaining Why You're Sad_

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_:-: MAX :-: _

Nine words today, on a plain yellow sticky note:

_Smile; it's easier than explaining why you're sad. Fang._

With a sigh, I grab a pen, scrawling on the back of the sticky yellow piece of paper.

_It's easier not explaining at all. And who says I'm sad? Lots of fake-love, Max._

I shove my note under the crack of the bathroom door, finish freshening up, and go downstairs to eat. My feet shuffle down the stairs in an almost trance-like manner. Last night I had barely gotten any rest, my mind awake and buzzing with buried memories.

"Morning, Max," Mom hums as she prepares a pot of coffee for everyone. She takes one look at me and the dark bags beneath my eyes, grabs a mug, pouring me a cup. I sit on a stool and lean my elbows against the breakfast bar, cupping the mug in both hands.

"Morning," I reply after a sip of the throat warming coffee, my voice slightly raspy.

She slides onto the stool next to me, a cup of coffee in her hands as well. "So… how's life?" Mom asks, wondering how I feel, in her own way.

I shrug, inhaling the rich scent of the coffee. "Okay, I guess."

Mom kisses the side of my forehead, looking at me. "No smileys today?"

"Highly doubtful," I say, a slightly apologetic undertone in my voice.

She sighs, taking a sip of her drink. "How's… Fang doing? With the smiling thing?" Mom wonders hesitantly. "Should I still look into setting up an appointment with Dr. Knight?"

I'm silent for a moment. "He's… okay," I finally say, much to the relief of my mother.

She smiles at me, kissing my forehead again and getting up from the chair. There's a shuffling behind us, and I turn my head to see an equally drowsy-looking Fang.

"Why don't you sit down, Fang?" Mom offers, and he slowly lowers himself into the bar stool, in what seemed to be a painful way. She puts a cup of coffee in front of him when he's finally sat down, and he groans his thanks.

"Are you hung-over or something?" I hiss, when Mom's disappeared into the pantry.

He looks at me, his dark eyes even darker than normal. "Wha'? No," Fang replies, shaking his head. "So… exhausted, though."

Mom reappears, boxes of cereal in her arms. She places them on the counter, next to the bowls, spoons, and milk carton. "Help yourself, kids. I'm going to go get ready, so holler if you need me, okay?"

We both nod slowly in a weary way, before she disappears up the kitchen stairs to the upper floor.

Fang helps himself to a bowl, muttering, "_Foooood_," after placing the first bite of cereal in his mouth.

I roll my eyes. _Guys._

He looks at me, mouth full of food, and a scowl on his face, in a way that seems to be saying, _It's not like you don't ever act like this_.

Sending a glare at him in return, I shove a spoonful of cereal in my mouth, chewing it more aggressively than normal.

Fang stares at me, an eyebrow raised, as he too takes a rather large bite, chomping on it. Somehow, from there, it soon becomes a stare off, fully completed with angry bites of cereal.

And I can't help but think, _This is the smartest guy in school, and I have to _live_ with him?_

:-:-:-:-:

_:-: FANG :-: _

Everyone's out of the house but Max and I, and I lie in bed, one hand on my head, the other holding a plain yellow sticky note.

_Who says I'm sad?_

_Who says…_

Those words repeat over and over in my brain to the point where I feel like ramming my head into a desk.

_…I'm sad_.

With a sigh, I throw the sticky note away from me. _Who says you're sad, Max? I do. I can just see it… and I can't explain _why_ or _how_. I just know._

"Argh," I groan, turning around so my chest is now on the mattress.

How am I supposed to help Max smile if I don't even know why she _isn't_ smiling? I can't do anything to make her smile, unless I know why she doesn't smile in the first place!

Earlier this morning, I had accidentally stepped in on a conversation Max and her mom were having. _"He's… okay_._"_

_God dammit, Max! _

Why did she have to say that?Why couldn't she of been like, _"Oh he's terrible and he torments me all the time… get rid of him! I need a professional to help me!"_

Instead, she says that I'm okay. I know, it's not much, but based off of Mrs. Martinez's reaction, it was a big improvement.

So now, I not only have Mrs. Martinez depending on me, but Max too… in a way.

I let out another groan, this one considerably louder than the last.

"WOULD YOU STOP CLEARING THE CUSTARD? THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS HOUSE!" Max screams from the room over.

_Clearing the custard? What the hell…_

_This is the girl that won't smile, and I have to help her?_

My fist raises and falls rather hard on the mattress. Why won't she smile? What's stopping her from smiling?

And then it hits me.

_To get Max to smile… you have to help her get over the un-smile-causing-situation first._

But what exactly is that?

_You have to get to know her first, to find out._

Get to know her? Max?

_Precisely._

I bury my head in the pillows, wondering how the hell I would be able to do that, why I would do that, and why she would willingly let me.

Thus, Plan: Get-To-Know-Max officially commences.

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**Notes:**

Well hello there!

Did you miss this story? I did too 3:

As for Growing to Success… Welll… Eventually!

Hopefully I'll update sooner next time!

**R&R… Plan: Get-To-Know-Max!**

Fluffy


	6. You Haven't Lost Your Smile

**Summary:** Ever since Ari, Max's little brother, died, a smile's never escaped her lips. Her parents, desperate to get a grin in their daughter, pay people to get her to smile. When Fang and his father become their new housemates, he decides it's his project to make her smile. But will he be the first ever to succeed? FAX.

**Authors Note: **Dedicated to _My-Username-Sucks14_ who got me to update :) And to _gigglesandbooks_ who needs to get a Skype still. YES, YOU HAVE TO.

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**Smiles :-: **Chapter Six **:-: **_You Haven't Lost Your Smile_

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_:-: FANG :-:_

I sigh, shaking my head as I erase and re-erase the words I had written on the sticky note.

_Why won't you smile?_

I shake my head again and erase the pencil marks.

_Just tell me why you don't smile._

No.

_Smiling is good for you, you should do it._

Ah… no.

Suddenly, the inspiration hits me… something a random freshman had doodled on her journal that she had left on the ground last year.

_You haven't lost your smile. It's right under your nose. You just forgot it was there. ~Fang_

I stare at the messy scrawl on the green sticky note for a moment, debating if I should stick it on the bathroom mirror or not. _Maybe she has actually lost her smile. Maybe this is just a waste of time. Maybe she'll never smile. Maybe—_

The slamming of the shower door echoes through the house and I shake my head for the third time in the past five minutes. I make up my mind and just stick it to the mirror of the bathroom.

_I wonder what today's response will be… _I think mutely, logging onto the laptop on my desk.

The screen lights up, revealing my previously opened tabs and my blog. With a sigh, I start a new post.

:-:-:-:-:

_**What Have I Gotten Myself Into?**_

Yo, Fang here.

Haven't posted anything in a while because… well… let's just say I'm in a completely different situation than I would have ever thought I'd be in, all because of some damned earthquake.

Remember that girl I vaguely mentioned before? Once or twice maybe? 'Moxie'? Well, her home is my home now, and my real _home_ is crushed to bits and pieces.

So yeah. I'm stuck in a home with a girl who don't smile. Fun times.

She's got something against me too. Something about the room I'm in, that's right beside hers with a connecting bathroom between it… Something about me in general. Normally I wouldn't have cared. I'd just keep living through the summer as I usually would if Dad and I still lived in our own house.

And now I can't.

God dammit, what have I gotten myself into?

You see, somehow I've made it seem that I was going to spend my summer vacation making Moxie smile, and in front of her mom too. And since her parents are letting us stay here while our house is getting rebuilt, it's awfully rude to back out of this.

Pfft, when did I ever have manners?

But really, I don't want to just be a bothersome to them, so it's best if I do help, right? Even if it's the unthinkable.

And to top it all off, I've decided that the only way to get Miss-I-Got-a-Snake-in-my-Boot—yes, I'm guilty of seeing Toy Story—to smile, is to get to know her.

Wish me luck, I guess. I'll need all the luck I can get to convince Moxie to smile.

To think, she accused me of clearing the custard yesterday!—Don't ask.

Until next time.

Fly on,

Fang

:-:-:-:-:

Honestly, I think Max acts as if she's never had a shower every single time she does go to shower. By the time I'm done with my blog post the shower water finally cuts off and minutes later the green sticky note comes sliding back under the crack of the door.

I shut the laptop off and pick the square of paper from off the ground.

_I don't know what's under _your_ nose, but under _my_ nose is a mouth. Have a _lovely_ day. ~Max_

Sighing, I lean against the bedroom wall.

This is going to be a lot harder than I originally thought.

My laptop pings with a new email in its inbox displaying a new comment submitted:

_Good luck._

_:-: MAX :-:_

Is it weird that it seems like the tone of Fang's writing on his sticky notes has changed since, well, yesterday? That it no longer seems so… demanding?

I shake my head with a scoff. As if. It's not like he's had a change of heart on this entire situation so soon… or ever, for that matter. And it's not like he's ever going to get me to smile.

No one can.

I mean, how can I _smile_, knowing that it was my _entire _fault? That I… taken someone else's life… stripped them of their future… ruined everything for him…

_Ari_.

"Max? Fang?" Mom calls our names from down stairs, her voice slightly muffled from the series of walls and stairs.

"What?" I shout back, as I hear a door open and close nearby and then feet pad down the stairs.

"MAX! COME DOWN HERE NOW!" is her reply. I guess she no longer cares to play the oh-so-wonderful hostess around Fang, otherwise she normally wouldn't have yelled at me from such a distance.

I stop by the bathroom on my way down, checking to see if my face was more neutral than I felt. When I reach the kitchen, I see Mom and Fang sitting at the dining table, both with blank expressions similar to mine.

Slinking down into a chair at the head of the table, I turn towards Mom expectantly.

"You," she begins, looking at me, "and you,"—to Fang—"Need to get out of this house."

Fang is quicker to protest than I am. "Mrs. Marti—_Val_," he exclaims, his once opaque slate of a face contorting into incredulity and disbelief. "Are you saying to leave this house?"

"Are you _kicking me out of my home_?" I simultaneously screech.

Mom looks at the two of us, first with a confused gaze, and then one that looked like amusement. "No, no, no, that's not what I meant," she says, rolling her eyes. "I meant like, go outside, do something else rather than mope around the house all day."

"Well, Mrs. Ma—Val—you have a _very_ nice home…" Fang replies, looking at her with a deceivingly charismatic expression. _I'm not the only one who disagrees with this!_

"Nice try, Fang, but you two should leave the house for a bit. Take Max to the lake or something," Mom chuckles with a smile. _The lake?_

"_Mom. _Does Max not have a say in this?" I grumble, stopping when I catch Mom's glare.

She claps her hands together, a bright grin on her face. "Well that settles this!" Mom announces, completely ignoring my complaints. "You both are ready too, so here are the keys to the car, Fang. Why don't you guys head out of here?"

"What about breakfast?" I gripe as my stomach begins to groan.

Fang nudges my shoulder with his own. "She's packed it all already—"

"And lun—"

"It's packed too."

I throw him a nasty look. By the way he's acting I wouldn't be surprised if he actually _wanted_ to go on our… _picnic_.

"Well, hand over the keys because you aren't driving my car."

* * *

**End Notes:**

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU…

_But I'm feeling twenty-twoooo~_

No. Not that.

I'm feeling like this chapter was just one big awkward jumble of words. What about you? Did you enjoy it somewhat? I just think some parts were un-flowy and jerky. I guess that's what I get for not writing in like, eons :3

I just haven't felt like it, if you want the truth. Or we could go with the excuses like I've been having guy problems involving my friends (that's worded badly… it's not like it sounds, I promise!), and I've been studying like mad. Whichever you choose.

ALTHOUGH. I DO NEED YOUR HELP.

How long do you guys want this story to be? Because depending on that, I can make the story maybe 15-ish chapters or 20-25… I'm not sure which would be better, but yeah. Tell me pleaseeee?

Heh. I've just added like another 200 words to the word count, and I'm so sorry for this chapter being short. BUT. I'll have another one out in two weeks at the maximum.

(See what I did there? Maximum? Maximum Ride? Haha I'm so funny xP)

Anyways, thanks for reading and please check out my new story _A Thousand Years_!

_Fluffy_


	7. It's okay to not be okay

**Summary:** Ever since Ari, Max's little brother, died, a smile's never escaped her lips. Her parents, desperate to get a grin in their daughter, pay people to get her to smile. When Fang and his father become their new housemates, he decides it's his project to make her smile. But will he be the first ever to succeed? FAX.

**Authors Note: **Quite a lengthy wait, wouldn't you say ? I'm such a liar D:

**Dedication: **_gigglesandbooks_ because I love her and she is the best :3

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**Smiles :-: **Chapter Seven **:-: **_It's okay not to be okay_

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_:-: FANG :-:_

As I drive to the lake, Max sits in the passenger seat, sending deathly glares my way. I can't tell if it's because her mom commanded that _I_ drive _her_ car instead of her, or because she has to be stuck with me. I'm really not that bad of a guy, to be honest, but whatever her problem is with me, she has to get over it.

"Look, Max. If you keep glaring at me like you want to laser-remove my head off, stop, unless you want to get your car totaled."

She continues to glare at me.

"I'm serious, Max."

Her glaring still doesn't stop.

"Do you _want_ to get your car crushed or something?" Geez, this girl. She's making me talk more than I want to.

From the corner of my eye, I can see her roll her eyes and look out the window. "You're weird." It's apparent that she means to say this sarcastically, but it comes out dull and humorlessly.

_Is something seriously wrong? _I think for a moment. _Nah, she's probably just pissed at me and her mom or something…_

"Gee thanks, Moxie—"

I see her visibly tense, her jaw clenching, and I realize what I said. Agh, dammit. It slipped out of my mouth; I swear I didn't mean to call her that.

"—Max," I try to save. Smooth going there, Fang. That was brilliant. But despite how terrible my attempted save was, she relaxes her fists and lets out a long breath.

The rest of the short drive is spent in silence.

When we arrive at the lake, I half expect Max to run out of the car to get as far away from me as possible, but she remains in the car, unmoving. "We're here," I inform her, in case she hadn't noticed, but she still doesn't get out.

_What is with this girl. _I get out of the car, circle around, and open her door for her. She sits, staring stolidly out at the lake. With a sigh, I close the door and start unpacking the picnic stuff Mrs. Martinez had supplied.

The entire time I do that, Max simply sits quietly and emotionlessly in the car.

_Does she really hate me that much that she doesn't want to even go outside with me?_ I wonder, starting to get annoyed. This is just old.

On impulse, I walk over to the car and open her door again. This time, however, I reach across her, unbuckle her seatbelt, and scoop her up into my arms. She's surprisingly light, and not so surprisingly outraged.

"PUT ME DOWN FANG!" she screeches, hitting my chest with her arms. For a moment, I'm glad no one else is at the lake today, because with all her screaming, we're making a huge scene.

I shake my head and smirk down at her as I walk out onto the dock. "Sorry, hon, but it's too late."

"I HATE YOU. FUCK YOU, FANG, FUCK YOU."

I hold her above the water, and now she tries to hold on to me, to keep from falling. "You've already accused me of that, don't you remember?" And with those words, I drop her in the water.

Max resurfaces immediately, spluttering water from her mouth. Her face is red in anger, and she climbs up the ladder connected to the dock. "You. Are. Dead," she spits out, stalking towards me.

I flash her a grin. "You'll just have to catch me first, won't you?" And then I take off running, Max at my heels.

"Ugh, you're so dead!" she screams, her legs barely keeping up with my longer ones. "You're going to wish you never did that when I get you!" Max yells out threats as she chases me, her voice getting farther and farther.

We're running around the entire length of the beach, but it's not in a teasing 'tag you're it!' way. No, Max is out for blood. "_If_ you get me, Max! Not when, _if_!"

She lets out a frustrated yell, her voice louder than I originally thought.

And then suddenly, she pounces, her entire body jumping on me, pulling the both of us to the sand. Instinctively, I pull her close to my chest and wrap my arms around her, as we roll in the sand.

When we come to a stop, I'm hovering above her, and we're both breathing heavily, neither of us moving.

Her hair is spread out under her, and her eyes no longer reflect anger, instead reflecting the sun. I've never noticed how warm and _chocolaty_ her eyes are; I never took the time to notice.

She's admittedly pretty… if only she'd smile, though.

"Are you okay?" I breathe out, remembering I had practically landed on her.

She is silent for a moment before she nods slightly. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Her eyes have changed again, now that I'm really looking at them. They look almost… _sad_.

"Are you sure?"

Max nods again. "I'm _fine_, Fang."

I stare at her longer, before nodding. "It's okay not to be okay," I add, rolling to the side so I'm no longer on top of her.

Her lips are pursed, and neither of us talks, simply staring out at the lake. The sun reflects off the water, causing it to glisten a lighter bluish color. It's peaceful, but the tension between Max and I is far from that.

"Do you really hate me?" I ask, curious.

She shrugs. "Not particularly."

I chuckle slightly. "Why is it not a no?"

All her attention is put into staring up at the sky, and I almost expect her not to answer. But to my surprise, she does. "Because you're a dick."

We lapse into another periodic silence, this one, much less tumultuous than the last. There's something inside my mind, itching at me to say something to her.

"Moxie was a stupid name," I state, looking up at the clouds. The sand rustles next to me, and I know I have Max's attention now. "It had a stupid origin, and it was stupid to call you that."

"Why _do_ you call me that?" Max's voice is low and even, but I still don't look at her.

I pause. "You never smiled; people thought you were… emo. Emo-Maxie shortened down to Moxie. Like I said, stupid."

She's quiet for a moment before she says one word: "Why?"

Finally, I turn and look at her. Her eyes have darkened and have an intense look to them. "What do you mean?"

"Why did you tell me this." Her words are not a question; it's a statement.

I look her directly in the eyes and hold her gaze, before shrugging and watching the clouds again. "You deserved to know."

I can tell she's hesitant to believe me, and that she wants to think that there's some ulterior motive to my admission, but there isn't. After a minute, I see her nod slightly to herself, and join me in my cloud-watching.

And in that moment, I know something's changed between us.

I just can't tell if it's for the better or worse.

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**End Notes:**

I doubt the length was enough to appease you guys for the wait, but I hope the last part of this chapter was !

Did you enjoy it ? *crosses fingers.* I kinda wanted to move their relationship along faster . I mean, it's not like next chapter, they're going to start being all lovey dovey and crap, but their relationship is definitely … evolving .

I wonder what Max was thinking this entire chapter … hmm …

And I just noticed how so many of my stories are hurt/comfort . And romance, of course !

Last update for today ):

Well, I guess all I have left to say is review ?

Review xx

-fluffy


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